Rate increase or lose projects?

Baw Baw Shire Council has proposed a draft budget reflecting an average two per cent rate increase.

A range of rate rise options, including a zero rate rise, were considered by council. A two per cent increase equates to an average increase of $39 per year for residential properties.

Councillors have urged the community to have its say on the draft budget, warning that a zero rate rise means some capital works projects will not be funded.

The Gazette asked Facebook followers what they thought.

Do you want the relief of a zero rate rise this year during difficult economic times? Or do you want capital works projects to proceed? What are your budget priorities?

Jac Ryan - NO RATE RISE - I say that on behalf of my landlords. I live in this town and have seen the bloody mess the council have made of Warragul. The council doesn’t ask where the money needs to be spent, it does the gardens, puts in ridiculous one way streets, leaves pot holes in streets that aren’t the main street.

Suzie Grant - Owning two properties in Baw Baw we dread rates time as it is. Value of the property is a joke but not worth fighting them because you would never win. How can you expect people to survive in the current climate with further increases.

Jason Dawes - The shire should have saved money from not running events during the time of the virus. Absolutely absurd to raise the rates, should be the opposite

Christy Shell - What I want is more decent playgrounds that don’t have to be driven to. I appreciate the upgrade to Civic Park in Warragul (although the equipment is in need of maintenance) however there are limited parks in Drouin and a lot of new housing.

Cindy Parnes - I will take 12 months of no increases just to see where we are at after the current climate changes

Kate Flack - We already have high rates and it is getting ridiculous. Give us a break.

Michaela Carpenter - No rate increase please. On top of the regular increases you spend the money on projects that only a small few think are worthy.

Leane Gooding - BBS rates are hideously high already. And there should be some consideration for all those really hurting financially due to COVID-19. I say a very big NO to an increase

Irene Burnett - So please explain what do the people that live out of town get for their rates. Oh yes garbage. That is all - the bloody roads are a disgrace and you want to increase the rates

Tierney Evans - I’d be happy to pay more if they actually did anything outside of Warragul and Drouin.

Nick McConnell - How about a staff reduction and rate decrease, its not the city of Melbourne, why so many managers?

Jenni Green Ryrie- With all the new estates I would think they would have plenty of extra money coming in from rates as it is without upping them.

Karen Domney - Soon the oldies will be rated out of their homes only a few more years of rate rises and most homes around here will be paying $3000 a year.

Carrole Miller - Pay rates joke. I’m still waiting for the roadside to be mowed so I can see oncoming traffic when driving out of the road.